DEBATE NIGHT - A NEW EXPERIENCE!

politico.com

All eyes will be on the second Presidential Debate tonight at Hofstra University in New York State where President Barack Obama will face off against his challenger, former Governor Mitt Romney.  News reports estimate that 70 million people will be tuned in to watch the performances of these two men vying for the highest office of the land.  Tonight’s format is a town hall meeting where all questions will come from individual American citizens.  All the hype, hyperbole and action is focused on which man will come out swinging and land a solid performance. 

I will be watching the debate tonight in a well-lit conference room in Fayetteville, North Carolina with approximately seven flat-screen televisions ranging from 32 inches to a large movie-type screen.  There will be 15 of us in attendance, all political bloggers.  I received the invite from a fellow writer who indicated that it would be a good experience for me.  We are challenged with writing twitter messages throughout the debate performance.  Each writer has the challenge of writing a message every five minutes.  That corresponds to a total of 18 messages over the course of the 90 minute debate.


usnews.com



As I understand it, all twitter messages will be going out under one twitter address.  Unfortunately, I do not have that address information as of yet.  Even though I have a twitter account, I have as yet to send out even one message.  I am told that we will each have an I-Pad for composing our messages.  We hit ‘send’ and they are then quickly reviewed and sent out into twitter land. 

The only restriction on us is that we must use appropriate language with our messages.  We are allowed to write whatever we wish and support whichever candidate we so choose.  Of course, twitter messages have a limited character count so that will be far away the most significant challenge I suspect I will face.  I have no concerns about being able to write my comments and messages but I will have to forego my usual embellishment and wordiness as I write my tweets.

I have been told that there will be cameras on us.  Evidently, it will be part of a documentary that is being filmed about the presidential election in North Carolina.  I plan to keep a record of my messages and share them on one of my blogs later this week.  I’m hoping that doing the work of creating messaging won’t take away from my experience of watching the two men debate.  I’m sure most of my work will focus on how President Obama is facing the challenge of performing at a higher level than the first debate.

Feels like the ‘The Game’ to me right now.  I am having those pre-game Ohio State-Michigan jitters I get every November.  Not for the tweeting or the composing of messages.  I am anxious for my candidate to do well.      

A BUMP IN THE ROAD

I wish to extend my sincere apologies to my readers for my recent and prolonged absence from these pages.  I freely admit that I have been overwhelmed with angst these many weeks.  It has been a bedfellow for quite some time.  It strikes without warning and envelopes me.  It reminds one of the unwelcome relative who overstays their visit.  Sometimes it’s only an inning, other times it goes into extra innings.  Captive to it I become and only through God’s loving hand am I set free. 

Set free I am, thankfully once again.  Earlier this evening, I happened to answer my phone.  It was a friend, a good friend who I have not spoken to or seen in over a year.  Her voice was that of an angel.  Hearing her voice, laugher and words caressed my very soul.  It started a movement of music within me.  The chains and shackles that clung to me were breaking free. 

Energized by her words and caring soul, I knew what my next step would have to be.  It was time to free myself.  Feeling alive again, I ventured out to walk silently into the night enjoying the pace of my footsteps beating on the pavement.  It was going to be one mile, then two miles and yet a third mile exorcising the demons that have walked with me these past few months.  How free I felt.  How alive I felt. 

Collapsing upon recovery, I fell into slumber and slept the dreams of champions.  A three-hour nap mid-evening is generally a recipe of disaster for my night’s four to five hours of sleep.  Upon awakening, I reached for that dreadful phone that always carries messages whenever I am absent from it.  There was only one and the number was not one I recognized.  Good, I thought, no messages from work.  That’s a first. 

God in his infinite wisdom and mercy knew that it would take a second call to fully and completely arouse me from my blues.  Sure enough, it was yet again a dear friend; a friend not spoken to in years.  The occasional email back and forth but this friend goes back to those very early years when we played cowboys and Indians, soldiers and spies.  His was a voice from my earliest years as a child where we grew up only a few houses apart on the same street. 

The messages were clear even if unspoken.  Both called out of love and concern.  How lucky I am to have two such friends.  How selfish am I to allow myself to be devoured by such an unruly bedfellow.  I thank God tonight, early morning for his love for me and for my friends.  It is truly a blessing to have someone like Kay, my best friend’s best friend to call me and awaken me from my hour of despair.  The incredible joy realized when your longest good friend reaches out to you and provides affirmation of your life. 

I have been absent way too long.  I have lots of stories to share.  My frustrations, my joys and my expectations are overflowing now and will soon spill out onto the many pages I write.   You may not agree with all of what I write and that’s okay.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Thank God from whom all blessings flow.           

Customer Service - An Exemplary Effort!

filthylucre.com

Last evening I was visiting my local shopping mall where I was going to pick-up this week's issue of Time Magazine, have some Chinese food and catch-up on what's happening in the world.  Arriving at the mall, I stopped at the bookstore and purchased my magazine. 

As always when I visit the Mall, I stopped at the Zales jewelry store to say hello to my son.  He's employed there and has been for a couple of years.  He was unusually happy to see me this evening as he needed a favor.  I figured he wanted me to pick-up a soda for him or something of that nature.  That was not the case.

He had a problem.  His problem was that the store's printer's ink cartridge was no longer serviceable.  He had a customer, actually a young couple, looking to purchase a wedding ring or band and needed to complete a finance sales agreement.  He told me that he would be unable to complete the sale without a signed agreement.  He asked me to drive to the local Office Depot store and purchase the ink cartridge. 

My son relayed to me that his call to the store manager was not well received.  The manager was unwilling to return to the store with an ink cartridge and told  my son to call someone, perhaps a friend, to purchase one and the store would do a paid out reimbursing the friend.  I turned out to be that friend.  I drove to the Office Depot store and purchased the appropriate ink cartridge and returned it to my son so that he could finalize the finance agreement with his customer.  He then reimbursed me for the cost of the ink cartridge.         

I was proud of my son this evening as he truly exemplified what going the extra mile for a customer is all about.  As a hotel executive, I love catching my employees performing in such a fashion and am incredibly gratified that my son understands the concept of taking care of the customer.  The young couple was most appreciative that I came to the rescue with the ink cartridge.  However, the real hero was my son who needed to solve a problem that his manager was unable or unwilling to accomplish. 

I know from my own hospitality experience that every customer is an important one.  I also know that my goal is to establish a relationship with that customer so that he becomes a life-long customer, not just a one-time customer.  I believe that my son accomplished that for Zales tonight when he bent over backwards, went that extra mile and developed a new relationship with this young couple.

Exemplary customer service is something we all run into from time to time.  Not nearly enough but we all have experienced it and know what it is when we receive it.  These are the experiences we go out of our way to share with our family and friends.  In a time when many employees and managers alike seem to care less, I experienced a child of mine displaying great passion for his work and a determination to take care of his customer.  I could not have been more proud of one of my own employees.  It was so much sweeter to experience it first-hand in my own son.  Great Job Daniel Hawkins Brown. 

Losing Faith In People - Thank God For My Children

anecdotalanna.wordpress.com

Calm, cool and collected.  The marketing phrase that was popular for years extolling the benefits of using Secret, the body deodorant, aptly describes my personality make-up.  I am the calm in the storm.  I am cool amid the stress.  I am collected among all the chaos.  Very little gets to me and my buttons are very difficult to find let alone push.  I would admit that my work in hospitality has frequently taken me closer to my meltdown point than I care to acknowledge.  Taking care of the customer becomes more challenging each year.     

This past weekend I experienced three different events that once again gave me great pause about the human condition.  I experienced anger, frustration and a feeling of hopelessness coming from all three of these experiences.  Each of them made my face grow red and my blood boil.  As calm, cool and collected as I am, my emotions were starting to get the best of me.    

The weekend started with a couple who reported that they had an IBM Tablet stolen from their room.  They immediately accused one of my housekeepers of stealing it.  Responding in a prudent and responsible fashion, I investigated the matter with haste along with my security counterparts.  The housekeeper was questioned and believed to be innocent.  Security reported back to the guest that our investigation found no theft on the part of the housekeeper.  The guests then made a point to search our 32-acre property to confront me and demand compensation. 

I was at our oceanfront restaurant having a light salad for lunch when the couple interrupted me with their loud, accusatory voices.  I explained to them that we were still investigating the matter but we believed the housekeeper was innocent.  They believed differently of course and made a point with their loud voices to make sure everyone else knew as well.  Later in the day, I returned to their unit to make a visual inspection myself under the guise that our insurance company would want to know that we did a search of the unit for the missing computer.

Finding nothing of course, I thanked them and indicated I would be calling the police to come by the following morning to complete a police report.  The husband showed up at the Front Desk the next morning and reported that they found their Tablet.  Funny how the couple just happened to find it prior to the police arriving.  Filing a false police report is a felony in South Carolina.  Funny how they chose not to search the property for either the housekeeper or I to apologize for their false accusations.

The second experience was a guest reporting to the Front Desk that their unit had bugs in it.  They had just arrived to their unit and found roaches all over the place.  I immediately went to the unit.  It was true.  There were roaches everywhere.  I acknowledged to the guest that the unit had a bug problem and made arrangements to have the guest moved to a different unit.  As I was walking out of the unit I noticed that there was a jar in the trash can by the kitchen.  This was a clean unit and there would have been no trash in the trash cans.  This guest, using the word loosely, emptied out the roaches into the room in hopes that they would receive a nicer and closer unit to the ocean. 

My third experience over the weekend and the one that still bothers me is seeing a three-year boy sitting on his mother's lap in the  passenger seat of their SUV.  They were driving on the property looking for a parking space.  There were two young girls in bathing suits walking toward one of our pools.  The little three-year old flips them the middle finger.  Mom is laughing watching her young son obviously emulate her or his father. 

Three wonderful experiences at the beach.  Every time I experience such behavior from my guests, I am reminded how proud and pleased I am with my three grown children, Timothy, Jennifer and Daniel.  I have truly been blessed with three wonderful children.   It is of great comfort to know that not one of my three would behave in just a boorish and ghastly fashion.  They restore my faith each and every day and help me overcome my frustration with disgusting and shameful people.     

Watching One's Life Flash Before Your Eyes...It Really Can Happen!

quotes.cl

Like you, I have often heard a friend or co-worker say that their close call with some type of accident has caused them to see their life flash by in their head.  For the most part, I have always considered this more of an expression, a saying.  Not a reality.  Having had such an experience just two weeks ago, I can now attest to that very occurrence.  Mine was not a close call in an automobile accident.  Nor was it a near drowning experience.  Not an accident at all.  I was on the witness stand.

I have sat in that lonely chair before.  Couple of times actually.  Never any fun for fear that you will say something wrong or inappropriate.  Certainly do not want to lie when you sit in that chair after you have taken an oath of being honest.  I have testified at an Internal Revenue Service hearing.  As a Chief Executive Officer, I testified on behalf of our non-profit in a liability case.  I have given my testimony in a number of depositions but not these nor my court appearances gave me pause as much as my Family Court experience only a few weeks back.

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Only being married one time and never all that curious about others who have experienced divorce, I was not concerned about the court proceedings.  My attorney prepped me for what to expect of the court action and how to answer his seven or eight questions.  I knew this proceeding was not going to be adversarial in nature and had little concern for it taking a turn unexpected. 

What I didn't expect was to take the witness stand and experience what can only be recalled as "watching one's life flash before their eyes".   It was an amazing experience.  It wasn't a near-death flash but rather a wonderful remembrance of what once was.   Thankfully, the answers my representation required of me were all affirmatives or negatives, no lengthy dissertations.

myspace.com

The first flash was when I saw her step from her car all the way back in the summer of 1971.  Those incredible legs.  Stuffing the soccer ball under her shirt.  The wedding.  The birth of three wonderful children.  The amazing vacation trips.  The mutual quests to stop smoking.  All of these and hundreds of other experiences we shared together over 22 years of a solid marriage.  The images were a collage of everything wonderful about our life together.  All in a matter of one minute while answering eight questions. 

Amazingly, not one of the negative experiences we shared surfaced during that flashback.  None of the guilt that I lived with for years reared its ugly head.  It was a surreal experience and one that I will always smile about.  The flash disappeared as I walked back to my courtroom seat.  Walking out of the courtroom, all the guilt, the anxiety and uncertainty walked hand in hand with me.  Karen Mathea Hawkins and I embraced and she told me "it's okay".  The guilt and anxiety are gone now but the uncertainty remains.  Where do I go from here?     

Overstuffed Bathing Suits - America's New War On Obesity

I would never want to be accused of being a "dirty old man" but living and working on the beach lends itself to casual observation of women in bathing suits.  Men too.  Every day from my beachside office I am confronted with men and women in all sorts of beach attire.  The parade of families on their way to the pools and ocean provides ample opportunity to view first-hand what has been hotly debated for months now, America's War On Obesity.

ibtimes.com

From my vantage point and daily viewing of the vacationing public, America has a serious obesity problem.  It spans all ages, economical groups, ethnic background and all the other politically correct designators of the American public.  The majority of folks I see are all carrying extra luggage and it isn't the kind you place on a luggage cart.  Some just need to shed 5-10 pounds but by the looks of the overstuffed bathing suits, many should get serious about their weight problem.

This past year has seen Michele Obama lead the charge on childhood obesity.  Her anti-childhood obesity program, "Let's Move", is in its first year and slow, incremental progress has been made.  Her many appearances and speeches have elevated the discussion to an entirely new level.  Her leadership has compelled grocers, food and beverage companies and schools to take a long hard look at how to combat obesity among our children.

mcntalk.com

Like every First Lady endeavor, there are critics from every corner including those that believe that government has no business dictating any personal choice issues.  However, the alarm bells are going off throughout the country about our young people and the obesity problem.  It is clear that we must take action to help young people make good personal choices about their nutrition, exercise and health.  The anti-smoking campaign that has been on-going for years has made a difference and one hopes that obesity education will have similar results.

It is estimated that 300 million people worldwide are obese.  One in five children are obese in the United States which calculates to 12 million children.  Excess weight is linked to all kinds of health issues including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.  Any amount of weight loss, even small amounts help improve one's health.  Just this week, the American Medical Association announced that it supports annual educational instruction for public school children on obesity.

The AMA also reported that they support the idea of using revenue from taxes on sugar-sweetened sodas as one way to help pay for obesity-fighting education.  However, there is concern among some doctors that such a tax would be of a greater burden on the poor and disadvantaged.             

Americans in particular have become a sedentary bunch.   We sit in our chairs and recliners, eat chips, drink beer and eat fast-food out of convenience and necessity.  Our children follow our lead watching television, playing games on their game platforms and texting and talking on their cell phones.  Afternoon play has been relegated to television and games rather than outdoor adventure and activity. 

guardian.co.uk

Educational programs involving children encouraging healthy eating habits and good nutrition along with exercise and play is the beginning of turning around the obesity problem.  Making inroads in this one area of health will go a long way toward reducing our nation's long-term health care costs. 

Moving Forward ...Finally, It's True

trezzalaw.com

For longer than I care to admit, I have used the expression "moving forward" to describe the ending of a long-term relationship.  The words came easy to me and I really believed them.  Truth was and has been, that "moving forward" was a perpetual holding pattern.  Both parties of the relationship believed it was over long ago with no hopes of repair.  Both thought they were "moving forward" but instead it was postponing the messy, inevitable task of making it official. 

Regrets and apologies all around but finally "moving forward" is the phrase of the day.  After 18 years, not quite as long as the marriage itself, the day has come.  By all accounts, it is rather anti-climatic since both parties called it quits long ago.  Not sure how I should feel.  Others I have known have celebrated.  Others yet are relieved.  Some feel free and enabled to move forward.

There's that phrase again, "moving forward."  I have no plans to celebrate nor anyone to celebrate the occasion  with.  I am not particularly feeling relieved because I have not been stressed about it.  Feeling free and enabled; not sure I feel either of those feelings.  I have a feeling that Monday, June 11, 2012 will be like most Mondays.  Not all that exciting, not good or bad, just another Monday with a brief meeting in a courtroom. 

On the eve of the divorce decree, what I really am feeling is the satisfaction of at least knowing that finally, it's true, I am moving forward.  At least with this relationship.  There is a freedom that comes with the end of any long-term situation.  Whether a marriage, a job or any number of other situations one might think of. 

For me, it opens up opportunities to take some new steps.  I am foregoing the use of the phrase "moving forward" ever again.  It only got me in trouble.  Truth is, I have been taking new steps for many months now and this is only one of many "moving forward" moments I have come to achieve.  I have written much about my "Renaissance" as a soon-to-be 60 year-old. 

The divorce is a key moment though.  Although anti-climatic for me on some levels, it fulfills one step among many that I am on task to complete.  Unlike many in my situation with the ending of such a long relationship, I am happy to say that ours is one that will continue in a positive, new fashion.  All the better for both of us as we go about our separate lives. 

Thankfully, for me "moving forward" is over and done with and now it is all about moving ahead.         

Potty Mouth - A Fine Example!

flappinessis.com

I learned years ago not to allow myself to be surprised at anything I might experience or have to respond to in the business of hospitality.  Yet, it seems few days go by where I am not shaking my head in disbelief or disappointed in how people behave and act.  This past Saturday night was one more experience in a long line of them with the public that gave me reason to shake my head and just be disappointed.

I was informed by our security staff that I had a guest that was unhappy with their accommodations, specifically the sleeper sofa in their unit.  The hour was late, nearly 11:30 pm when I arrived at the unit.  Immediately upon entering, it was clear to me that it was not going to be a positive experience.  It was a family of seven, Mom and Dad and five young children, ages 3 to 14. 

The lady, I use the term loosely, immediately started going off.  Dropping F-bombs and every other expletive to describe her room and experience thus far at our resort.  It wasn't that she was using words that I had not heard or from time to time, have used myself.  It was all about the fact that her five young children were right there in the unit and all within earshot.  It was amazing how little I heard of what she was actually saying as I was embarrassed to be in the presence of children while such words were being shouted at me. 

I recognize that I grew up in a home where such words were not used by my parents or my two older brothers.  At least not in my company and certainly never in the presence of my mother and father.  I was 16 years old when I heard my father say "damn" for the first time.  It  was directed at me as he used the word as an adjective saying, "Get your damn feet off that pillar."  I remember the experience as if it was yesterday.  Having never heard my father speak in such a demonstrative way, my feet were on the porch in a heartbeat. 

I have had many people over the years swear at me with regard to how I have responded to their problems or issues.  I have never enjoyed the experience and frankly take little heed to it.  I find it much more difficult to deal with the courteous guest who is upset but allow their articulation and use of the English language as a tool to effectively communicate their disappointment.  These educated individuals can make you feel about as bad as it can get.  People yelling obscenities at you have hardly no effect. 

This Mom effectively communicated to her five children that it is okay to use inappropriate language and yell at the top of your lungs at a complete stranger.  These five children now know it is okay by Mom's standards to respond to anyone in customer service with obscenities and yelling.  A real class act she was.  For my part, I mostly kept my mouth shut and allowed her to vent.   I did find her language and yelling objectionable and made a point to let her know that not only it was inappropriate to speak in such a fashion in front of young children but inappropriate to speak in such a fashion to anyone. 

Needless to say, my words were falling on deaf ears as she told me to F-bomb myself as I departed the unit.  I am reminded almost daily of how fortunate I was to have grown up in a home where my parents treated others with respect and dignity.   Even when they were unhappy, they never yelled and screamed, shouted obscenities or tried to make someone feel less than what they were.  Thank God for Mom and Dad and their modeling of appropriate and respectful adult behavior.    

Growing Up With March Madness

springfieldnewssun.com

One of my fondest memories of childhood is sitting on the couch listening on radio to the University of Dayton Flyers play college basketball with my Mom and Dad.  I would pull out my clipboard and create my very own scorebook keeping track of each players statistics during the game.  Popcorn would be enjoyed and anxious moments would always occur if the Flyers were having a rough time of it.  If the Flyers were home, we would always attend the games but when they were on the road, we all sat by the radio and listened.

Following the likes of Donnie May, Hank Finkel, Dan Sadler, Bucky Bockhorn and scores of other Flyer greats was always a highlight during basketball season.  Growing up in a basketball family, conversation was always about the game.  Both Mom and Dad played college basketball in the 1940's while attending Ohio Northern University.  My two brothers played and of course I played when it came to be my time.  My father coached high school basketball before he launched his business career and actually took a very small high school basketball team to the state championship in the State of Ohio.  My oldest brother, Jim, followed in Dad's footsteps and coached college basketball for 25 years retiring only to enjoy coaching high school basketball in the State of Ohio for the last ten years. 

March was always special for our family.  Dayton was generally competing for a at-large berth in the NCAA tournament as they were an independent during those years.  More often than not, they would be invited to the NIT in New York at Madison Square Garden.  During and beyond my college years, my college roommate and I traveled to NIT games watching the Flyers take on teams like Purdue, St. Johns and Wisconsin.  Our road trips were always a highlight of the year. 

The magical year of 1966 saw the Dayton Flyers make the NCAA tournament as a major underdog.  The Flyers that year went on a great tournament run beating Western Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina making the Championship Game against Johnny Wooden's UCLA Bruins.  The flyers played well for half the game with Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) and his teammates destroying us in the second half.  It was a spectacular game for the little catholic school from Dayton, Ohio.

Two years later, magic returned after a very difficult and disappointing start of the season.  The Flyers started out losing game after game.  Couldn't win one against anyone.  Then all of a sudden, the Flyers went on a winning streak ending with 19 wins for the season.  Everyone was hoping for an NCAA bid but we fell short and were invited to the NIT.  Not given much of a chance, the Flyers once again went on a roll and played great tournament basketball ending up in the Championship Game as the Kansas Jayhawks. 

That Kansas team had a pretty special player by the name of Jo Jo White.  White was an All-American and went on to the NBA playing for the Boston Celtics for years.  The Flyers had All-American Donnie May.  The game was back and forth, back and forth with leads changing hands all game long.  In the end, the Flyers had enough to bring home the championship to Dayton. 

One of the not so fond memories was the night the Flyers returned to Dayton as champions.  A friend of mine and I waited at the University of Dayton Field House for their return.  Unfortunately, they did not arrive until the wee hours of the morning.  Mom was waiting for me when I returned home well after midnight.  She was not in a celebratory mood.  Nevertheless, it was a terrific night welcoming home the players that brought home a championship to my city. 

March has always been filled with magical moments for fans across the nation.  The game has changed over the years.  The tournament has changed significantly.  What hasn't changed is the joy and disappointment that comes to each of us this time of year as we watch our favorite team perform.  Good luck to you and your team as we enter March Madness. 

Me, Myself And I, An Online Presence

panaceamobile.com

For some time now, I have been writing about this sixtieth year of mine as a renaissance year.  As each week passes into this New Year, I am amazed at how little I know about the world I am living in today.  I have generally felt that I am a well-informed, connected and educated adult who has a pretty good understanding of how things work.  That feeling of self-assuredness continues to be challenged almost daily.  I'm speaking of how the online world and the social aspect of it can impact your life should you choose to embrace it. 

For those of us who grew up with transistor radios and hula hoops, there is no doubt we are reluctant to embrace today's social media.  It is very foreign to us as it requires some real effort and even more importantly the element of time.  We are less nimble when it comes to navigating today's technology.   Most of us utilize only a minute percentage of our cell phone or laptop capability and are okay with it.  We are all amazed at the capability but hesitate to dive in and immerse ourselves in learning more. 

For me, the process of learning all about this technology and information has been a challenge.  It continues to challenge me day in and day out.  There has not been one day in the last three months where I have not learned something new that has changed how I look at things.  Truth of the matter, I am still reluctant to embrace it for fear that I am going to do something or say something stupid.  It's just not about navigating the web or the technology, learning Facebook or Twitter or any number of other sites, it's learning a whole new way of looking at things.

This learning a whole new way of looking at things is difficult.   As we would all agree, change is hard.  We are a comfortable people and change is not something that most of us embrace with regard to anything.  However, I have made a conscious effort to keep an open mind and allow my learning to take me wherever it chooses.  Once again, I have to remind myself of this each and every day as a new idea, thought, process or capability makes itself known to me. 

I am not confident that even the majority of young people know what is possible and what is at their fingertips.  My most recent efforts online are all about creating my own personal brand.  Not even something I would have ever considered.  As I thought about it, for my generation, branding would be considered what our personal reputation and character is.  As I have read more and more about online presence, that is indeed what branding is about. 

I am now in the process of taking that reputation and character I have lived with and developed over the years and create the same with my online presence.  It is certainly an interesting and challenging task for one who has already been in the workplace for 40 years.  However, for a young person like so many of today's youth, creating such a brand as you learn, grow and experience life, work and family, it should come naturally.  Almost a resume of one's life.  I'm having fun with it and actually will be encouraging my three adult children to create their online presence through appropriate branding techniques.      

The real question for me will soon become what my personal branding slogan will be.  "Just Do It" is taken; so is "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" as well as thousands of others.  I remember creating slogans many times over the years for capital campaigns, advertising campaigns and special events I was creating within the YMCA.  My all time favorite was "Discover The Difference" when I was at YMCA Camps Ockanickon and Matollionequay in Medford, New Jersey.  That slogan actually has been used since by several national corporations I'm proud to say.  (Not that they ever saw my use of it) 

How does one encapsulate 60 years in a brief phrase.  Being the wordsmith I am, I am confident it will come my way sometime in the near future.   Count on me writing about it. 

"Halftime In America - Clint Backlash

thefw.com

After watching the Super Bowl on Sunday and the many commercials, the one that stood out for me was Chrysler’s message of hope.  Employing the iconic figure of Clint Eastwood drove home a powerful and inspiring message for the American people.  After seeing the commercial, the first thing that came to mind for me was that the Republican Party would be upset.  As expected, it didn’t take long for Karl Rove to denounce Chrysler’s message and Eastwood for delivering it.  There is no question that the message mirrored much of what President Obama has delivered across the nation.  It’s a message of hope, determination and confidence.  Just what I think we need as a nation.    

Chrysler’s message was a powerful one.  It was heartfelt and I think appropriate.  It spoke of us coming together, working together, overcoming the odds and turning America around. It was far and away the best commercial of Super Bowl Sunday.   Both Chrysler and Eastwood indicated that there was no connection to any political party or political message.  It was intended to be non-political.  It was a commercial that celebrated Detroit’s rebirth with the reemergence of the automobile industry. 

Eastwood’s script included, “They almost lost everything.   But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.  Yeah, it’s halftime, America.  And our second half’s about to begin.”  It was a powerful, inspiring message for all Americans wanting our nation to succeed.  The message delivered by someone who is truly an American icon.  Eastwood said, “If Obama or any other politician want to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.”  Sounds like something he would say in one of his films.  I must admit that I loved it. 

Many years ago, Hollywood stars took to the screen frequently during World War II to support war efforts, workers making products here at home and  families sacrificing.  The message of hope and determination delivered then is similar to what Chrysler and Eastwood was doing with this year’s Super Bowl ad.   The reemergence of Detroit’s car industry is a huge win for America.  It needs to be celebrated no matter whether you supported the President for choosing to bailout the car industry or not.  It was a great win for America.   The jobs saved and created was a big deal.  One of America’s great recession stories. 

I would like to see more of the same.  These stories are inspiring for the American people and when times are tough, it’s great to see one of our heroes, stars, sports figures or other legendary figure speak out and say we can persevere, we can turn it around, we are America.     

Three Doctors - Same Opinion & Prescription

biggovernment.com

Like most folks reaching my age, health concerns begin to take a more prominent role in one’s daily living.  As part of my renaissance year, I am trying to make changes in my lifestyle that will make a difference in the quality of my life.  Some of these changes are fairly easy and straight-forward.  I am visiting the gym with regularity working on cardiovascular exercise as well as strength and flexibility.  I am slowly but surely making the nutritional changes I need to make to compliment my exercise routine.  I am trying to avoid all the “white stuff” as they call it, the sugars which have predominantly been my favorites over these 59 years.

Between the exercise and nutrition I have managed to even lose a few more pounds which have had a pronounced change in how I feel.  Some habits long-lived are more difficult to change but efforts are being made to overcome them as well.  In addition to these efforts, I have reluctantly visited the doctor’s office to make sure that everything is working well and tend to those things that aren’t working nearly as well as I age.  I have had some of the traditional tests and some that are more specific to ailments that I have incurred over the years.  So far, everything has come back showing lots of wear and tear, some damage and even some fragility but overall a fairly good report from the three doctors I have visited.

As part of my visits, each doctor sat and spoke with me regarding my health.  That was helpful but I took the liberty to speak with each doctor about their practice and health care in general.  Ordinarily, not one of three doctors would have time to discuss such matters with me but I was fortunate in each instance that they almost welcomed the opportunity to share with me what they are experiencing in their practice.  I would point out that the three doctors included a General Practitioner, Orthopedic Surgeon and an Internist.      

It wasn’t a pretty picture being described to me by any one of three doctors.  They all spoke of having difficulty making it as a business.  To a doctor, each indicated that they have little control over what they are paid for many of the services they provide to their patients.  Insurance companies control all of that.  They suffer from the same issue most businesses suffer from with rising health care premiums for their workers.  All three have serious debt loads and each have been in business for 15 or more years.  They painted a pretty bleak picture for me. 

Given how they responded, I had to ask what the solution is for our nation regarding the health care of our citizens.  Each doctor responded that there will have to be at some point a Medicare-type system across the board for everybody.  They see no way for the current system to be able to sustain the rising costs of services, technology and the growing aging of the population.  Each said that the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) doesn’t go far enough.  It’s a beginning but that’s all it is.

None were overly enthusiastic about it but clearly recognize that we are facing a health care crisis that has no easy answers.  Two of the three are Republicans.  Both noted that political affiliation in the end isn’t going to make a difference with health care.  The third doctor is a proponent of a single payer system eliminating insurance companies and taking them out of the equation all together. 

Given the upcoming Supreme Court challenge for a ruling on the Affordable Health Care Act, I found these small insights into my doctor’s businesses and attitudes regarding health care in America to be fascinating.  It was interesting to note as well that out of the three doctors, the General Practitioner was the one who was most pessimistic about being able to stay in business. 

Having had this experience with my doctors, I find it interesting that nearly 40% the nation wants the Affordable Health Care Act to be repealed.  They speak of how it is handicapping American businesses but it seems the trend toward fewer and fewer health care benefits has been going on for a very long time now.  Not just a reaction to this new law.  The health care issue will dominate the landscape for years to come until some type of affordable and fair system is created.  Affordable health care could be the next to go the way of the 1%.       

Lions...Tigers...Bears...Oh My.

dvd.ign.com

I am reminded of the wonderful movie, The Wizard of Oz, as I approach the publishing of my first EBook, Patron Principles.  Not that my story line has anything to do with wicked witches, flying monkeys or ruby red slippers.  No, my book is about hospitality customer service.  Nothing nearly as exciting as Dorothy and the Wizard.  Even today, when I watch The Wizard of Oz, I generally change the channel when the Wicked Witch appears on the screen as the school teacher riding the bicycle.  Her transformation from school teacher to Wicked Witch is scary.    

For whatever reason, that is one of the scariest scenes I have ever experienced in film.  I am uncomfortable watching that scene.  I am feeling the same uneasiness as I approach the publishing of Patron Principles.  I'm not sure why I feel that way but I keep thinking that maybe I can change the channel and my fear will all go away.  My anxiety about publishing this book parallels a lifetime of wanting to do just that.  Write and publish.  So many times in this life of mine, I chose not to take the risk of writing and sharing my words with others. 

Now, only days away from the big day, I am confident in the end that it will be anti-climatic.  Still, leading up to the actual day of publishing, I am feeling anxious about it.  Not anxious for it to happen but anxious about it happening.  I know that makes little sense but I have rewritten the damn thing twenty times, proofed it another twenty times and each time I do, I change one more thing.  I am in my last edit of the book and into my second red pen.  I fear I have been more critical than my college English professors who used to take joy in marking up my papers. 

In spite of all my prudent checking and proofing, I am sure that someone, somewhere will take their red pen to my work and forward a copy to me showing all my glaring oversights and mistakes.  Then on top of that, I am sure that criticism will follow of my content in that it provides little resource and interest for the reader.  One could say that I am suffering from self-doubt and great insecurity for this first effort. 

The bright side is clearly if someone takes the time to mark it up or criticize, that means that they purchased it and actually bothered to read it.  That's a good thing and in the end, I will gladly accept the criticism and corrections recognizing that at least someone read my work. 

Patron Principles is more of a manual, newsletter or helpful how-to-do-it hospitality customer service book.  Not a great piece of literature for sure.  However, it is meaningful for the writer as it conveys what knowledge and understanding he has of his industry and how to be successful within it.  If only one hospitality worker somewhere in some small rural community with one hotel reads it and provides exemplary customer service, I will have achieved something positive. 

My hope is that the experience will be a positive one and will lead to many more experiences of sharing my words and stories.  Fictional story-telling is on-deck and this writer is hopeful that my first experience with Lions...Tigers...and Bears...will not be my last.     

Days Of Anxiety - Job Interviews - No More!

jobgoround.com

I suspect I am like most folks when it comes to the prospect of interviewing for a new position or job.  You make sure you are appropriately attired for the position, well-groomed and prepared for pretty much any question that comes your way.  The stomach is a little unsettled, the nerves are frazzled and there is a feeling of overall anxiety.  These tend to be normal emotional responses for candidates showing up for a job interview.  Questions abound in your mind if this is a job that you really want; are you capable of being successful in the job; will it be a good fit for you; is it better than what you are doing right now?  All normal and to be expected thoughts for someone interviewing for a new job. 

Years ago, I sat down with a colleague of mine and we talked about the job interview process.  We shared some of our own personal experiences.  We both were blessed with opportunities over our careers to interview many times in a group setting.  In other words, interviewing with search committees consisting of multiple members.  One of my own favorite interview experiences was with a group of 15 board members.  This type of interview takes on a whole different feel than the standard one-on-one interview.  Trying to connect with multiple folks is indeed a challenge.

My friend taught me something that day in our conversation about the interview process.  He asked me what type of interviewer I was.  Not interviewing for a job but interviewing candidates for jobs that I was offering.  He explored with me what my feelings were when I was interviewing candidates.  He helped me understand that day that I had much more anxiety interviewing candidates for jobs that I was offering than I had when I was interviewing for a new position. 

That was an interesting discovery for me.  He was right.  I always have greater anxiety when I am interviewing someone for a position because I am always so concerned about picking the right person, making sure they are a good fit  and will bring real value to the position I am offering.  My choice reflects on me and the performance of my duties as the supervisor.  Amazing how that perception changed everything for me going forward when it came to interviewing applicants as well as interviewing for positions myself. 

My attitude changed when I showed up for the interview for that new job or position.  I no longer was nervous or had anxiety about the interview.  I took the approach and continue to take the approach of trying to make the interviewer comfortable with me.  Put them at ease and try to relieve them of their anxiety about the process.  It works!  Just as they are trying to make you comfortable to gain some insight as to what type of person you are; you are doing the same with them trying to gleam whether this is an organization that you want to work for. 

As an interviewer, I always work hard at trying to make my candidates feel comfortable.  Sometimes to a fault.  I end up forgetting to ask a key question or I forego a particular area of concern within their background.  As an interviewee, I make a point to make my interviewer comfortable with me and try hard to shift the questioning toward my areas of strength.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 

As I go through the process one more time of securing new employment, I am reminded of all the experiences I have had interviewing candidates and interviewing for positions.  Not much has really changed.  Well, one thing has changed significantly.  I'm older than the candidates I interview and the interviewers who interview me.  The dilemma of age.  We shall see how that plays out over the next few weeks and months as I chart a new course.  This age issue has made me consider reaching out to my friend of years ago and seeking his advice for one last time.  An important matter for surer.  Should I dye my hair (what's left of it) or not?